Game device



Patented July 6, 1920,

W. H EMMERT.

- GAME DEVICE.

APPLLcATloN Mmmm/15.1919.

lUNITED sraraslaranr oFFice.

WILLIAM H. EIVIMERT, 0F CHECAGO, ILLINOIS.

GAME DEVICE.

` Application filed .Tuly 15, 1919.

T0 all whom it may conce/m Be it known that 1, VrLLmiir H. Eliminar, a. citizen ot the United States, and a resident of the city of Chicago, in the county ot Cook and State oi Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Game Devices; and l do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the numerals of reference marked thereon, which form a part ot this speciication.

This invention relates to game devices in which a ball is allowed to roll down an inclined surface and the players score accord ing to the position on lthe board where the ball stops.

(lne olf the objects ot the invention isto provide an improved device for carrying out an indoor gaine played with a ball.

.Another object of the invention is to provide improved means `for releasing a ball 1n devices oit' this type.

Other and further important objects of this invention will be apparent from the disclosures in the drawinfrs and specification.,

rfhe invention in a preferred form is illustrated in the drawings and thereinafter more fully described.

On the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device as a whole.

Fig. 2 is a plan view ot the device on an enlarged scale with the center part broken away.

Fig. B'is a section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4l is a vertical section through the ball. magazine.

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 oi Fig. 3.

As shown on the drawine's:

T he device comprises a :dat board 1 provided with one or more legs 2 at one end and shorter legs 3 and 4 at its opposite end, so that the board as a whole is inclined. Around the sides and lower end of the board is arranged a thin strip of wood or other material 5 to provide a retaining wall for preventing the balls by which the game is played from running ofi" the board.

At the upper end of the board is provided a magazine for holding the balls 25 by which the game is played and also the mechanism Jfor discharging these balls onto the board one by one.. This magazine may conn Specicaton of Letters Patent.

Patented July 6, 1920. Serial No. 310,878.

veniently he formed from a block of wood G suitably secured to the upper end of the board 1. In this block a vertical passage way 7 is formed fhich communicates with an inclined passageway 8 leading to a disohyarge aperture 9. The passageway 8 is offset with respect to passageway 7 as shown in. Fig. 3 and a ridge or projection 10 is provic'led'in the aperture which connects the passage-ways normally to prevent the balls arranged in the passageway 7 from pass-- mg into the passageway S.

r1`he discharge oit the balls into the passageway h may be brought about in various ways. ln the form of construction shown, this is accomplished by means oi a pin or plunger 11 secured to a disk 12 pivotally at tachcd at 13 to the lower edge of the block (3, rEhis pin 11 passes through an aperture 111 arranged in the liront wall oit' the block 6 at snch a height that it can push the lowermost ball over the ridge or projection 10 into the passageway 8. Normally this pin is held in retracted position by means of a spring 15 therearound, .-L lug 311 is provided on the lower margin of the disk 12 to prevent the disk falling down onto the board 1. lf', however, the front of the disk 12 is struck the pin is projected inwardly to discharge one of the balls.

Preferably this'disk is struck by means of a ball thrown thereagainst by means ci' a spring-actuated plunger 16 slidably arranged in a recess 17 in the leg 3 of the device. .Vlhis plunger 1G is retracted by means ot its operating pin 18 against the pressure ot the spring 1i) and then suddenly released, whereupon the ball in lront ot the plunger is thrown along' a groove 20, arranged in tno surface of the board 1, toward the disk 12 with surticient torce to cause the pin 11 to eject one ol the balls 25.

ln order that the ball provided :tor actuating the disk 12 shall automatically return to the recess 17 for further use a guiding and retaining wall 21 is arranged on the upper surface of the board on one side of the groove 20, while on the opposite side thereof a similar guiding and retaining wall 22 is provided. These walls guide the ball, as it drops after engagement with the disk 12, back into the groove 20, and thence into the recess 17. It will be observed that the discharge aperture 9 for the balls 25 is arranged to one side of the disk 12 and the retaining wall 21 so that there is no inter ference by these parts with the passage of the b'alls 25 down the board l.

Toward the lower end of the board are arranged a series of groups of pins 23, the majority being arranged yin pairs although three or morepins may be included in one group if so desired. The players score according to the position which the ball is in when it comes to rest. Thus it a ball strikes theV uppermost pair of pins and is held thereby, the player scores 100, if it rebounds oii' these pins and strikes either pair otpins adjacent thereto and is held thereby the player scores 50, and so on. Similarly if a ball is not retained by any of the pins and continues to roll until it reaches Ythe rear retaining wall the player may be given any desired predetermined score. Y A' I am aware that numerous details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles ot' this invention,y and i therefore do not purpose limiting the patent granted otherwise than necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention: l

1. A game device `comprising a board, a series of ball engaging devices thereon, and a magazine for holding a series of balls, said magazine comprising two offset passages, a connecting passage having a ridge therein adapted normally to prevent the balls in the first passage passing into the second passage, and means for moving a ball through said connecting passage when desired.

2. A game device comprising a board, a series or' ball engaging devices thereon and a magazine for holding a series of balls comprisinga substantially vertical passage, an inclined passage otset relatively thereto, a connecting passage having a ridge therein adapted normally to prevent the balls in the vertical passage passing into the second passage, and means for moving a ball through` said connecting passage when desired.

3. A game device comprisinganinclined board, a series of groups ot' pins thereon and a series of balls adapted to lodge against one or other of the groups of pins while rolling down the board, a magazine adjacent the upper end of the board for holding said balls, a pivotally mounted member provided with means for discharging the balls singly from the magazine, and means for project ing a ball against said member to cause the discharge of a ball from the magazine.

Il. A game device comprising an inclined board, a series of groups of pins thereon. a series oi' balls adapted to lodge against one or other of the groups of pins'whilo rolling down the board, a magazine adjacent the upper end otl the board for holding said balls, a pivotally mounted member provided with means for discharging the balls singlyv from the magazine, a runway along one side of the board leading to said member and means for projecting a ball up said runway against said member to cause the discharge of a ball from the magazine.

5. A game device comprising a board, a series of ball engaging devices thereon and a magazine for holding a series of balls, said magazine comprising two offset passages, a connecting passage having a ridge therein adapted normally to prevent the balls in the first passage passinginto the second pas sage, means for moving a ball through said connecting passage when desired, and means for pushing the balls in the rst passage one b. one over said ridge.

game device comprising a board, a

series of ball engaging devices thereon and a magazine for holding a series of balls, -said magazine comprising two oiiset passages, a connecting passage having its lower surface formed and inclined so as normally to prevent the balls in the first passage passing into the second passage, and means for moving a ball through said connecting passage when desired.

In testimony whereof I have' hereunto subscribed my name in the presence ot two subscribing witnesses. I i

VHLLAM H. EMMERT.

iVitnesses VEARL M. HAnDiNn, CHARLns lV. HILLS, Jr. 

